“Eating a nutrient-dense, protein-rich breakfast helps to stabilize both cortisol and blood sugar levels. Breakfast is the perfect time to combat the stress we face throughout the day because we can use it to optimize our morning spike in cortisol,” explains Axtell. “Research shows that the timing of when we fast is actually more important than the total amount of time we fast. We will discuss how to appropriately break the fast in the morning to optimize energy levels.”